Easter's Back!

For the first 25 or so years of my life, I participated in the Marion Easter Pageant every year. My whole family was in it. And for me...it's what made Easter...Easter.

The Pageant was held in the old Marion Memorial Coliseum, and was eventually shut down due to the disrepair of the building itself. Shortly thereafter, the building was entirely renovated and is now the YMCA.

And this year - for the first time in 8 or so years now - they brought back a version of the pageant. I was THRILLED.

They had a full choir and orchestra - just like the olden days - and showed a DVD of the pageant in its entirety. For the first time ever, I stood in line just like the lines I've walked past on my way into makeup...
For the record, it was FREEZING outside. I was so thankful, though, that the rain held off. It poured most of the day (and by poured, I mean turned my heavy duty super-de-duper umbrella inside out TWICE).

I went with Ronda! Or she went with me. Whatever. We went together. Kinda like vacation revisited. My parents were there as well, but Mom hated the picture I took of her, so I won't put it up. (This time.)

The orchestra played as we waited for it to begin. Here's the big screen where we watched the DVD - and much to my surprise, they also brought out a few former cast members in full costume just to mill about as people got settled.

I miss the soldiers! Their dressing room was in the same hallway as mine and I used to hurry to get ready so I could hang out in the hallway and look for a cutie! (Just keepin' it real folks.)

Then the music began...and it sounded uh-mazing. Loved the full choir. Jonathan sang in this because all of the IWU Chorale participated. They're the ones in the back in tuxes and dresses. The people in the front, in the white, were all community members.

Did NOT expect this at the end at all. When they got to the all-women's choir at the end singing the Ave Maria chorus, the three Holy Women came out in costume and began to walk through the aisles. I leaned over to Mom and said, "Where are they going? There's no tomb!"

She shrugged.

I looked away from the choir and back to the stage to see that the big screen had been removed and in its place....
This brought tears to my eyes. I love this scene. And I loved it even more to know that they brought it back live. So very powerful.

Christ the Lord is Risen today!

And the finale of the Hallelujah Chorus - I get goose bumps just thinking about it.

The tomb is empty! He is Risen!

While I still very much miss the pageant as it used to be - and the chance to be part of it - I am thrilled that they brought it back in this way this year. This feels like a real Easter again for the first time in YEARS.